New Platinum Range Panels

Voltage Optimization

Or as some People call it Voltage Power Optimisation is a particularly effective means of saving energy in the UK, because there is a national problem of over voltage. The declared electricity supply in the United Kingdom is now, as a result of European Harmonisation in 1995, 230V with a tolerance of +10% to -10%.

This means that supply voltage can theoretically be anywhere between 207V and 253V depending on local conditions. However, the average voltage supplied from the national grid (in mainland UK) is 242V, compared to the (nominal) average European voltage of 220V. (The average supply voltage in Northern Ireland is around 239V, and 235V in the Republic of Ireland.)

Therefore, most electrical equipment manufactured for Europe and the UK is rated at 220V and may operate satisfactorily at voltages down to 200V. By efficiently bringing supply voltages to the lower end of the statutory voltage range, voltage optimisation technology could yield average energy savings of around 13%, and the prolonged life of the connected equipment.

Over – voltage refers to voltage higher than the voltage at which equipment is designed to operate most effectively. It causes a reduction in equipment lifetime and increases in energy consumed with no improvement in performance. The 17th edition of the Electricians Guide BS7671 makes the following statements in relation to overvoltage: "A 230V rated lamp used at 240 will achieve only 55% of its rated life" "A 230V linear appliance used on a 240V supply will take 4.3% more current and will consume almost 9% more energy."

By fitting voltage optimisation into your G59/3-2 Control Relay you will be using this technology to actually save your client money, this way you will be able to inform your client that these savings will actually pay for the cost of the panel.

Power Factor Indication

In electrical engineering the power factor of an AC electrical power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load, to the apparent power in the circuit, and is a dimensionless number between -1 and 1. Real power is the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a particular time. Apparent power is the product of the current and voltage of the circuit.

Due to energy stored in the load and returned to the source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave shape of the current drawn from the source, the apparent power will be greater than the real power. A negative power factor occurs when the device which is normally the load generates power which then flows back towards the device which is normally considered the generator.

In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor draws more current than a load with a high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, and require larger wires and other equipment. Because of the costs of larger equipment and wasted energy, electrical utilities will usually charge a higher cost to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power factor.

We are building this metering system into our Platinum panels so both the supplier and the end customer can be aware of the influences the (SSEG) can have on power factor, this knowledge is getting even more important with the changes within the new G59/3-2 Engineering Recommendations.